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honeycomb smocking tutorial

I thought that I would show how I make honeycomb smocking, the technique I used while smocking the leather belt thing.

Start with drawing a net of dots on your fabric, I do the dots directly on the fabric but many makes a paper patterns with squares first, and then uses the corner of the squares to mark out the dots.

my squares are 1*1 cm (0,4 inches), it is a bit small to work with, so if it is your fist try it can be good to start with some larger squares such as 2*2 cm (0,8 inches). With a lot of smocking techniques one usually marks on the back of the fabric, but now we mark on the front.

You need a needle on a thread that is knotted in the end.

Stick the needle up in the first dot.

At the same place, pick up a few millimetres of fabric (just like 3 threads or so).

Go to the dot beside it and pick up some fabric here to.

Pull together.

Sew some stitches and secure the “fold” you just made.

There, now on to the next stage.

Stick the needle down from where it just came from.

And stick it up the dot under it.

Now you are not going to pull the threads together, let it lie loose on the back.

Secure the thread again.

Pick up some fabric, go to the next dot and pick up some fabric there.

Pull together, sew some stitches and secure the thread.

Stick the needle down the hole it came from again.

And stick it up the dot just above it, remember to let the thread on the back lie loose.

Secure the thread.

And continue this way all the way to the end of the row.

This is how it can look when you come to the end.

Stick the needle down the hole it came from, skip one dot and come up the next.

Secure the thread. Remember that all the thread you do not pull together should lay loose on the back.

Pick up some fabric, go to the next dot and pick up some fabric there, pull together, sew some stitches and secure the thread.

Down from where it came from, and then down to the dot directly under it.

Pick up some fabric, go to the next dot and pick up some fabric there, pull together, sew some stitches and secure the thread and move on.

If one keeps going like this, this is how it will look like, and now you hopefully know how to make honeycomb smock.

Hi,
I have become a follower of your webpage. The tutorials are so detailed and make everything look so easy. That is what made me think of you when trying to make a pick up skirt. Do you know how to make pick up skirts? My daughter just loves such dresses, but I don’t know how to make it, and tried very hard to find it online. Not much is available online on pick up skirts. If you can add a tutorial on this topic that would be a great help for sewing enthusiasts like me.

Looking forward to see what new things you are doing with scissors and fabric now.

Hi webmaster – This is by far the best looking site I’ve seen. It was completely easy to navigate and it was easy to look for the information I needed. Fantastic layout and great content! Every site should have that. Awesome job

That was a really wonderful tutorial.The pictures are explanatory and the honey comb is much easier than smocking.I was surfing the net for some good tutorial and I bumped into this site.Thanks a lot for the lovely tutorial.I am planning to work on a short top.

Hello Leonor
You could use different ratio between the dots. having 1cm between the dots horizontally and 2 cm between the dots vertically will give you a smock with a different design. One could do endless different designs that way; by just changing the measurement between the dots :)
/Cathrin

This information is great, I’m an old lady but still love to sew, taught myself to sew when I married 64 years ago by trial and error and believe me there was plenty of that, so you young sewers don’t give up it will get better, just take pride. Sarah

i have been looking for patterns on smocking,have not been able to find one.this is so very helpful and easy.cant wait to try it.On a childs dress,how much larger do I need to cut the pattern to allow for the smocking.Thanks so much

Cathrin,
I make historical costumes and one of my outfits has been featured here http://realmofvenus.renaissanceitaly.net/yourgarb/2010/Carol.htm I am in the process of writing up another submission for a market woman’s costume based on the paintings of Vincenzo Campi. One part of the costume is an apron that I have honeycomb smocked. May I put a link in the text I submit to the Realm of Venus web site to your very clear and detailed instructions on executing honeycomb smocking?
Thanks, Carol

27. Joyce Kovacs : How much bigger you need to cut your piece to allow for the smocking depends but is usually about twice the width but nothing on the length. The best way to make sure is to make a test piece, make a small square and see how much it shrinks .

Ann says,
More than 40 years ago I did smocking using gingham, I have completely forgotten all. I was so happy to find your tut.
Ny question is how do I use the gingham( larger print I believe 1 inch ??
To start. I want tomake an adult ladies hat for pool side. Small tight to he’d with about 2 or 3 inch brim?
Any and all help appreciated.

I have been searching for just this tut for the past year. Asking everyone and everywhere. And voila !! My angel with the smocking tut appeared.

Excellent tut……been looking for a long time…..brought it all back to me……This was so good…do you do other type of smocking that would be easy to teach in here? If so….I will check back……..or just a though…anything else you might be doing you wish to share………

I have a silly question to ask, I think it’s silly at least… If I was to do this technique for a dress, I would probably need to use elastic thread, right? Also, you recommend handsewing the smocked part of a dress instead of using the honeycomb option of a sewing machine?

Hello and thank you.
No questions are silly!
This technique gives a natural stretch to the fabric so no elastic threads are needed, but it does not spring back as an elastic thread does. It is hard to explain in words so I recommend to do a text swatch.
To do honeycomb by hand gives a very different look from doing it by machine with elastic threads, so it is all up to the look of the dress if you choose to do it by hand or on machine.

Thanks for the smocking tutorial. I used it for rushing the top of linen curtains that I made and it looks so professional and expensive. It is very good of you to be able to share your talent with the world.

“Life is centered on coping, You are aware of gaining knowledge through your flaws. And if you aren’t studying under your discrepancies so you’re truly seeing keep causing good deal most, Thurmond mentioned. “To start off with applied a lot of bits and pieces in gaming and as a consequence enjoyed mastered how based in individuals slips.

Katafalk is run by me, Cathrin Åhlén. I am a classically trained tailor trying to balance the strict world of
tailoring rules with my own creative head. I live in Sweden in the tiny town called Vimmerby, work as a tailor and try to find time for re-enactment.

I have a bunch of tutorials, you can find them at the special tutorial page that you can find over my header.

I like getting emails, so email me at cathrinahlen(at)hotmail.se

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